Lights Out

Santa Clarita, CA. – The Lady Mustangs returned to play on Friday afternoon against Montana State University Northern (7-5) following an 11 day hiatus due to the scheduled Christmas vacation. TMC picked up where they left off as the Mustangs routed the Skylights 62-45 on the first day of the Jersey Mike’s Holiday Classic in Bross Gymnasium.

The win earned the Mustangs an undefeated overall record of 10-0.

Lena Rivera (Allen, TX) and Whitney Best (Snohomish, WA) ignited the Mustangs’ offense as the duo put TMC up with a 5-0 lead in opening minute of the first half. A jumper by Jacquelyn Marshall (San Clemente, CA) and a layup by Rivera extended the Mustangs’ lead by seven. Jumpers by Marshall and Best gave the Mustangs an 11 point advantage over MSNU before the Skylights answered back with an 11-0 run.

A jumper at the 10 minute mark by Millie Rivera (Allen, TX) unlocked the 13-13 tie and gave the Mustangs a two-point lead. For the rest of the day, the Skylights failed to tie the score or gain the lead as the Lady Mustangs controlled the court in virtually all aspects.

The Mustangs’ team effort continued as Best and Theresa Brown (Eugene, OR) tacked on a combined seven points, and brought the score to 22-13. A three-pointer and a jumper from Zoe Scott (Spokane, WA), and a three-pointer from Kimberley Iverson (San Marcos, CA), gave the Mustangs a 30-17 lead with just a minute left in the half. MSNU’s Laci Keller cut TMC’s lead to 11 as the junior forward notched a layup with a little over 30 seconds on the clock.

TMC shot an average 41% (12-29) from the field and enjoyed an impressive 80% (4-5) mark from the free throw line. Brown was perfect at the line as the senior center went 2-2 on free throws. Best led TMC in scoring with seven points at the break.

MSNU opened up the second half with a quick three-pointer by means of Jordan Bruursema. Jacquelyn Marshall of TMC responded twenty seconds later with a shot that gave the Mustangs a 10 point lead. A three-pointer by Kylee Denham cut the Skylights’ deficit to seven points. TMC then manufactured a 13-0 run backed by a collective effort from Theresa Brown, Jacquelyn Marshall, and the Rivera sisters which gave the Mustangs a 45-25 lead.

Moments later, Zoe Scott drilled a three-pointer which gave the Mustangs an evening-high 22 point lead. But the Skylights proved they weren’t done as MSNU produced an 8-0 run before TMC answered with a Theresa Brown layup at the 3:23 mark. Brown, Best, and Marshall made the most of the final two minutes of play as the trio produced 10 points (six of which came from Marshall), and secured the Lady Mustangs’ victory at 62-45.

Marshall led the Mustangs in scoring with a team-high 14 points and was perfect at the line as the junior transfer went 4-4 on free throws. Whitney Best and Lena Rivera followed Marshall with 11 points apiece. Best and Zoe Scott both tallied four assists, while Kelly Burns (Yorba Linda, CA) led the Mustangs’ defensive effort with eight rebounds. Marshall followed Burns with seven rebounds.